The poem makes an oblique reference to the events related in the fifth chapter of the Ise Monogatari 伊勢物語, where the protagonist, usually identified as Ariwara no Narihira 在原業平 visits a lady through a crack in the earthen wall surrounding her father’s house. Upon the affair being discovered, a sentry is stationed at the crack to prevent the man entering, whereupon he returns home and composes the following poem:

人知れぬわが通ひ路の關守はよひよひごとにうちも寢なゝん

Feeling the force of the man’s passion, the lady’s father then permits the affair to continue.

Here, Bashō notes that a tomcat, as lascivious as Narihira was reputed to be, only needs a crack by a stove to creep into a house.